Permutation-lock.



L. L. KELLOGG.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1916.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Inventor Attorneys S L e THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

L. L. KELLOGG.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB..25. 191s.

- Attorneys Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 S HEETSSHEET 2- LUKE L. KELLoeo, or FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

PERMUTA'IION-LOGK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Application filed February 25, 1916. Seria1 No. 80,471.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUKE L. KELLOGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fredonia, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Permutation-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to permutation locks, and aims to provide a novel and improved lock of that character adapted especially for use upon the doors of post oflice boxes, although useful for various other purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a permutation lock wherein but a single operating member is used for setting the tumblers and for retracting the latch bolt.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a permutation lock which after the door is once opened or the latch bolt retracted, will automatically prevent the second retraction of the latch bolt, even though the tumblers are not disarranged. Thus, if the door is closed without moving the knob to disarrange the tumblers, it is still impossible to open the door, so that a person in forgetting to turn the knob after the door is closed, will not leave the lock in such condition that the door can be opened by a person not knowing the combination.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide a-permutation lock having the characteristics above noted, and which is comparatively simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, as well as serving its Office in a thoroughly practical and efiicaoious manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without de parting from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein':-

Figure l is a front view of a postal box door, showing the knob, pointer and dial. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the door and lock. Figs. 3 and a are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig.

. 2, portions being shown in elevation. Fig- 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. t. Fig. 6 is a View showing the position of the tumblers before the latch bolt is retracted, one tumbler being illustrated in full lines and the other being illustrated by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the tumblers in the position they assume after the latch bolt has been retracted and released, whereby the latch bolt cannot be retracted the second time unless the tumblers are again set.

In the drawings, there is illustrated the door 1 of a post office box, which is hinged, as at 2, to the door frame 3, although it is to be understood that the present lock can be used for locking various doors and other movable parts. Carried by the inner side of the door 1 is a horizontally sliding latch bolt 4- movable in a guide 5 attached to the door 1, said bolt t having a loop or U-shaped shank 6 sliding within the guide 5 and projecting therefrom. A leaf spring 7 or other suitable spring is engaged with the shank 6 to normally project the latch bolt 4, whereby when the door is closed, the latch bolt 4 will snap into engagement behind the frame 3 to hold the door shut, and to prevent the door being opened unless the latch bolt is retracted. The shank 6 has an outstanding finger piece 7 by means of which the latch bolt can be retracted from the inside of the door, but not from the outside thereof. The rear or heel end of the shank 6 has an aperture 8 through which is slidable a tail piece 9 having a T-head 10 within the shank 6.

A tubular member or sleeve 11 is journaled for rotation through the door 1 in the horizontal line of the latch bolt 1, and the outer end of said sleeve 11 has a notch 12. A spindle 13 is rotatable within and projects through the sleeve 11, and is provided at its outer end with a knob 14. The spindle 13 has a radial pointer 15 adjacent the knob 141 and engageable in the notch 12 when the spindle 13 is pushed rearwardly or inwardly, whereby the sleeve 11 will rotate with the knob 14: and spindle 13. The pointer 15 cooperates with a dial 16 upon the outer side of the door 1 for conveniently setting the tumblers.

An angular bracket 17 is attached to the inner side of the door 1 remote from the latch bolt 4 and projects behind the sleeve 11, said bracket 17 having spaced portions 18 at its free end, and an oscillatory arm 19 is disposed. between theportions 18. Said,

ginal flange or lip 31.

arm 19 has a rearwardly projecting hub 20 projecting through the rear portion 18 and provided with an annularseries of notches 21 with which is engageable an outstanding pin or lug 22 carried by the spindle 13 ad jacent its rear end. WVhen the pointer 15 is moved into the notch 12, the lug 22 is disengaged from the hub 20, and when the lug 22 is engaged in one of the notches 21, the pointer 15 is removed from the notch 12. At an intermediate position of the spindle 13, both the lug 22 and pointer 15 are disengaged from their notch-es, whereby the spindle can be rotated independent of the other parts if necessary. A connecting member 23 is pivoted tothe free end of the arm 19, which arm projects upwardly, a'nd' said member 23 is attached to the T- head 10, whereby when the spindle 13 is pulled outwardly to bring the 22 into engagement with one of the notches 2*1, the arm 1 9 c'a'n b'e oscillated with the spindle 13 for retracting the latch bolt 4, when the tail piece- 9 is free to move toward the spindle l3. The-inner end of the sleeve 11 abuts against the forward portion 18.

Qne tumbler, which is in the form, of a disk 24', is mounted for rotary adjustment upon the sleeve 11 behind the door, and is provided adjacent its margin with an anseries of apertures 25; A; disk 26 is secured rigidly uponthe sleeve 11 behind thetumbl-er disk 24, a spring washer 27 beingdisposed upon the sleeve 11 between the disk 26 and forward portion 18 to move the disk 26 forwardly against the disk 24. The disk 26 has a radiallyex'tending arm 28 provided with a lug '29 engageable in one of Y the apertures 25, whereby the disk 24 will rotate with the sleeve 11. The arm 28 can be sprung rearwardly to disengage the lug 29 from the disk 24, whereby said disk 24 and sleeve 11 can be rotated relative to one another to change the combination. Ordiriarily, however, the lug 29 engages in one ofthe apertures 25 so that'the tumbler disk 24 will rotate with the sleeve 11. The other tumbler is also in the form of a disk, designated 30, which is disposed betweenthe disk 24 and door 1, both of the tumbler disks being behind the door, and the disk 30 is provided with a rearwardly projecting mar- Said flange 31 is cut away at one'point, as at 32, and the disk 30 is provided at the cut away portion 32 of the flange 31 with a recess 33. One side or edge of the recess 33 is beveled to provide a cam'34. Mounted for oscillatory movement within the flange 31 is an arcuate flat deg or tumbler 35 which has one end pivoted, as at 36, to'the respective face of the disk 30. The disk 30 is rotatable loosely upon'the sleeve 11 in front of the disk 24, andthedisk 24 restsagainst the flange 31 under the tension of-the spring was-term,

whereby the friction between the disk 24 and flange 31 will cause the disk 30 to rotate with the disk 24 when free to do so. The free end of the dog 35 works within the cut away portion 32 of the flange 31 adjacent the recess 33, and the disk 24 is provided with a radial slot or recess 37 adapted to be brought into registration with the recess 33 for the reception of the tail piece 9 when the tumbler disks are set properly to permit the door to be opened.

As a means for limiting the rotatory movement-of the tumbler disk 30, a disk 38 is mounted loosely upon the sleeve 11 behind and in contact with the door 1, and a ring or collar 39 is disposed upon the sleeve 11 to space the disks 30 and 38 apart, whereby to reduce the friction therebetween, so that said friction will be less than the friction between the tumbler disks. lhe disk 38 is provided in its periphery with notches 40, and a hook-shaped catch 41 which is pivoted, as at 42, to the inner side of the door 1 is enga'geabl-e with one of the notches 40 to hold the disk 38 stationary. Vhen the catch 41 is released, this being done when the door 1 is opened, the disk 38 can be rotated for changing the combination. The disk 38' is provided upon its rear face with a stop lug 44, and the forward face of the tumbler disk 30 has a cobperating lug 43 lying in the path of the lug 44.

When the door is closed, with the latch bolt 4 engaging behind the frame 3, and with the tumbler disks disarranged, the latch 4 cannot be retracted until the tumbler disks are properly arranged, since the tail piece 9 in contacting with the peripheries of the tumbler disks prevents the arm 19 from being swung to retract the latch bolt. It is possible, however, to retract the latch bolt 4 itself from the inside of the door by means of the finger piece 7, andthis permits the postmaster or postal clerk to open the door from the inside when circumstances justify this. To set the lock in position so that the door can be opened from the outside, the knob 14 is first rotated counter clockwise, as seen in Fig. 1, until the pointer 15 is brought to the proper point of the dial. During the rotation of the knob 14, with the pointer 15 in the notch 12, the sleeve 11 will be rotated clockwise, as seen in Fig. 5, and this will rotate the tumbler disk 24 in the same direction. The tumbler disk 30 will rotate with the disk 24 due to the frictional contact thereof, but when the lug 43 of the disk 30 strikes the stop lug 44 of the nonrotating disk 38, the movement of the disk 30 is stopped. Vhen the pointer 15 is brought to the proper graduation of the dial, the slot 37 of the disk 24 will register with the cam 34 of the disk 30, as seen in Fig. 6. The knob14 is now rotated in the opposite direction, clock-wiseas-seen in Fig.

i at l 1, or counter clockwise as seen in Fig. 5, until the pointer 15 is brought to the proper graduation so that the slot 37 and cam 34 will. be in alinement with the tail piece 9. Now, the knob 14 is pulled outwardly to dis engage the pointer 15 from the notch 12, and to move the lug 22 into engagement with one of the notches 21, the arm 19 being normally passive, but after the lug 22 is engaged with its notch 21, the arm 19 will be oscillated with the spindle 13 when the knob- 14 is rotated counter clockwise, as seen in Fig. 2. Thus, the arm 19 will be swung in the proper direction to pull the member 23 toward the left, as seen in Fig. 2, and this will move the tail piece 9 into the slot 27 and a ainst the cam 34:. Before the tail piece 9'is moved, the dog 35 in resting upon the sleeve 11 will be held above the path of the tail piece 9, as seen in Fig. 6, and the free end of said dog will also be above the slot 37. but when the tail piece 9 is moved completely into the slot 37 it will by its contact with the cam 34 rotate the disk 30 a short distance, clockwise as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, whereby the relative position of the tumbler disks is destroyed during the retraction of the latch bolt 4. WVhen the tail piece 9 is moved into the notch 37 and recess 33, the latch bolt 41- is retracted, and the door can then be swung open. As soon as the knob 14 is released, so that the latch. bolt 4: is shot to projected position, the tail piece 9 is retracted from the tumbler disks, and since the disk 30 has been moved relative to the disk 24, as above indicated, the dog 35 can now drop below the upper edge of the slot 37, whereby the free end of said dog 35 will lie behind the tail piece 9, and will prevent said tail piece from again moving into the slot 37 and recess 33 should an attempt be made to retract the latch bolt the second time. Thus, if after the door is opened, it is pushed shut so that the latch bolt 1 snaps behind the frame 3, it is not possible to retract the latch bolt by simply turning the knob 14, since the dog 35 will prevent the movement of the tail piece 9. Consequently, it is necessary to set the tumbler disks before the door can be opened again, and this prevents an unwarranted person opening the door even though the tumbler disks are not disarranged after the door is closed.

Many changes in the combination are pos sible, in view of the fact that both the disk 38 and the disk 26 are adjustable relative to the respective tumbler disks. When the disk 38 is acliusted, it changes the position of the stop lug 44 accordingly, and when the disk 26 is adjusted relative to the disk 24, the relative position of the sleeve 11 and tumbler disk 24 is changed, so that when the pointer 15 is engaged in the notch 12, s id pointe 15 wi o cupy a different p0 sition with respect to the tumbler disk 2 1. It is also to be noted that only the knob 1 1 is used for setting the tumbler disks, and for retracting the latch bolt, said knob being readily moved inwardly or outwardly according to whether the tumbler disks or latch oolt are to be operated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a permutation look, a manually rotatable member, a tumbler disk thereon and rotatable therewith, a second tumbler disk mounted loosely upon said member and having a frictional contact with the aforesaid disk to rotate therewith when free to do so, means for limiting the rotation of the second mentioned disk, a latch member having a tail piece to contact with the edges of said disks for normally preventing the retraction of the latch member, the edges of said disks hav ng recesses, the second mentioned disk havmg a cam adjacent its recess for the engagement of said tail piece when it enters said recesses so that the second mentioned disk is turned, and a movable dog carried by the second mentioned disk movable into such a position after said tail piece has entered and then moved out of the recesses for preventing the reentrance of the tail piece into the recesses.

2. In a permutation lock, a manually rotatable member, a tumbler disk mounted thereon and rotatable therewith, a second tumbler disk rotatable upon said member and having a marginal flange contact frictionally with said disk so that the second mentioned disk rotates with the first mentioned one when free to do so, means for limiting the rotation of the second mentioned disk, said flange having a cut away portion and the second mentioned disk having a recess at said cut away portion provided at one side with a cam whereby the tail piece in engaging said cam will rotate the second mentioned disk, the first mentioned disk having a recess to register with said cam for the movement of the tail piece into the recesses, and an arouate dog having one end pivoted to the second mentioned disk within said flange, the free end of the dog working in said cut away portion and being movable into such a position after the tail piece has been moved into and removed from the recesses, to prevent the reentrance of the tail piece into said recesses.

3. In a permutation lock, a latch bolt, an oscillatory member operatively connected therewith and having a hub provided with notches, a tumbler device including a sleeve having a notch at one end, and a spindle slidable through said sleeve and hub and having a knob, a portion to engage the last mentioned notch when the spindle is moved to one position, and portion to engage one of the first mentioned notches when the spindle is moved to another position,

4. permutation lock embod ing in com bination with a door, a latch bolt carried thereby, 'a sleeve joumaled through the door and having a notch at its peter end,

frictionally contacting tumbler disks upon said sleeve behind the door, oiie'clisk being rotatable with the sleeve, means for limiting the rotation of the other disk, the'disks having recesses, the latch bolt having 'a tail piece tono-rmally contact with the disks and to move into said recesses when the disks are set properly, a bracket'carried bythe door, an oscillatory arm carried by the bracket and having a rearwardly projecting hub Copies 01 thispatent may 'be obtained t or-fiv-cents eaoly'by addressing the provided with an annular series of notches, said arm being operativelw connected with the tail piece, and 21 spindle slidable' through Said sleeve and hul) and having a knob at its oute1"end','a; portion adjacent its outer end to engage in the notch of the sleeve when the spi' fid'lefis' moved inwardly, and a portieim movable iii-to one of the notches of the hob when the spindle is moved outwardly.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing ztsfiqy own, I have hereto afiixed my signatl'ire inthe t'esence of two witnesses.

LUKE L. KELLOGG. Witnesses-z W. FROST, J. TURNER.

Commissioner of intents, 

